Ho Hum, Not Much Going On!

We had our neighborhood birthday lunch this past week.  Only Gail and I had birthdays this month but Jeanette made a carrot cake from scratch for all of us.  I even brought a piece home for Ted.  I got my haircut over the weekend before we went to church and that was about it through the weekend.

I am stressing over the kitchen cabinet refinishing.  I have had a dozen samples but I still have not zeroed in!  But I think I am getting close, down to about four.

The fence guy is still coming back after exams about landscaping the two back corners.  I guess the delay worked well for us though because the second internet company is in our neighborhood laying cable.  The box was put next door but cable will be laid in front of our new fence.  

I had a GYN appt and found out Dr L. who received my mammogram results last year and brought us in to give us the news, had heard nothing else from MDA.  It probably was because after the original hospital jerked me around for six weeks, I jumped ship to MDA and they just assumed my follow up care!  I will see if I can get him listed on my team.  It is best to keep everyone in the loop.  Even though MDA will take over my bi-yearly mammogram, there is still things for Dr. L to oversee.  

My second Doc Talk was canceled because the doctor presenter was ill.  That ruined my plans for attending and having lunch with Nancy!

Ted is in San Antonio shooting in Nationals with friends Tal and Gary.  The Ohio people didn’t come this year.  My brother had surgery and can’t shoot for six weeks, so the free Air BnB disappeared and one golf cart.  It got too costly with fuel too and they bailed.  Ted, Tal and Gary split the rented golf cart charge, stayed at Fairfield Inn and they are enjoying themselves.  

We are expecting Keith and Steve on Thursday when their ship docks in Galveston.  I have some things planned so maybe my next blog will be more interesting.  

Stay tuned!

An Amazing Visit

 

The house as we approached.  I think they said it was 20,000 sq. ft.  I did not take photos of the personal baths and bedrooms but they were exquisite.  

It 

The back “porch”,  pool and outdoor kitchen.  

The upstairs media room.

The downstairs rooms. 

A beautiful mural depicting Daniel in the lions’ den.  There were antique Stations of the Cross in large paintings from France flanking the upstairs hallway.  Several of them appear in our group photo.

We were treated like royalty from the time we arrived.

 

A view from the front steps of the beautiful grounds.

I did not take photos at the country club where we enjoyed a delightful lunch.  It is on the grounds of the old Tenneco valve and pipe location where they had a recreational park for employees until it was turned into a country club.  There was a bunker built in 1962 during the Bay of Pigs era which is now a wine cellar and event center.  We were able to tour it too.

All in all, a fabulous day!  We were bussed there on Harris County buses available to seniors so our day involved only buying our own lunch.  The owner of the home worked side by side with us ladies for 10 years as well as serving as president of CWJF for one year.  We serve seniors, children and families in the community, hoping to make a difference in their lives.  

 

Aching Has Started

One of the side effects of my endocrine therapy is joint pain.  My hips and back have started just that.  It is not like an excruciating nerve pinched pain, but rather a stiffness, sore muscle type.  It mostly bothers me when I drop something.  I stop to consider “do I really need to pick that up” and getting off the couch.  I am like an origami unfolding itself.  Once up and moving I am ok.  I will try to deal with this with Tylenol Arthritis pills and Ted’s Voltaren back cream.  I have an appointment for a mammogram and dr visit the end of November and hopefully I can deal with this until then.  I think Dr. O may want to try one of the other pills.  I think there are about 5.  I HAVE to take them for 5 years so there is plenty of time to keep trying different things.  

I did go to the dermatologist to have the clogged cyst removed that two different nurses noticed on my back.  Dr. W said I have a lot of “normal” things but none are cancer.  Come back in a year.  I think retirement is just a transition to becoming a professional patient!

My birthday fell on our regularly scheduled Shanghai card game and dinner at the country club.  My total (you want low) for games 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 was 5 points.  My total from not getting down in game 5 was 134!  Victory snatched from the hands of the birthday girl!

I visited with a friend who had surgery on Wednesday while her husband attended to some business things.  Thursday was my last class in Legacy and Estate Planning.  I came home with a whole sheet of follow up I hadn’t even thought about!  I reached out to the lawyer who spoke to us and agreed to drop off our 20 year old legal documents for her perusal.  The biggest thing is appointing a Successor Trustee.  One  is mentioned, but no one was named.  All the information for us and the children was out of date.  One marriage, one divorce and a whole lot of moving around needs info updated.  

We got our new fence on Friday.  This young man is a glowing example of an entrepreneur!  He is just approaching graduation from A&M and has an efficiently run business already.  He stayed in contact with me every step of the way.  He had the gas, electric and cable people out to mark the yard before I even knew it.  And right behind them came the workers and the boards!  He ground the stump from the tree we had cut down and will return to talk landscaping for the two corners of the yard!  

Up next is the kitchen cabinets decision on what to do if anything.  Apparently red oak is passé and dates your decor.  They are 20 years old and can be colored to blend better with the floor so we will see.  They look fine so it is not something I am totally sold on.  

Our weekend was quiet, nothing special going on.  Monday was Canasta and because we played 5 individuals instead of partners, we didn’t keep score so no one won.  We mostly talked a lot though.

Tuesday was 3-13 and Shirley won.  Out of 20 rounds, she knocked 11 times, several times right out of the chute!  That means she had 0 points and we had whatever was left in our hands.  We play 3 to king, then reverse back to 3.  We try to time lunch in the middle.  We were all the way back to 5 or 6 when we ate and were out the door while the other tables were just making the turn.  

The Astros are in the playoffs and the first game started off lousy!  By the time the Mariners were a good bit ahead we turned it off.  Imagine our surprise when after dinner we learned they won in a walk off home run!   

Wednesday I went on a CWJF Sustainers Outing.  We are those who served 10 years and no longer have “work” requirements but want to continue the camaraderie we built over that decade.  We were touring the house and grounds of a member then lunched at the country club where they are part owners.  Certainly a day of how the other half lives!  I will start a new page of just photos!

Birthday Weeks

Ted’s birthday was last Tuesday.  He turned 78!  That beautiful young boy I met in 1960 has turned into an elderly, polite gentleman I am so proud to be married to.  It will be 58 years next April.  We chose to go to Saltgrass for dinner because we have a Landry’s card and the birthday reward is only good for a set period.

On Monday we had a fence builder over on a friend’s recommendation and he will be replacing our back fence but not the two extensions that reach our neighbor’s corners.  The owner of the house for sale was adamant he didn’t want to do anything to the  “good neighbor fence” and the other side said do whatever and let me know what I owe.  Zack said from a strength standpoint, both sides are still sturdy.  The back is rotting after 20 years so it is time.  He will get back to us when he is ready to start.  

Wednesday I was glued to The Weather Channel.  Our daughter Kristin lives in Orlando, my sister in Punta Gorda, a brother with a winter place in Fort Myers and friends we just spent time with in Alabama who also live in Fort Myers.  My sister has a tree through her roof, my brother’s car was floating on the ground floor below his condo, Kristin had wind and rain with some flooding in the streets but she did not even lose power.  I have been unable to reach our friends and am getting terribly worried.

Being up most of the night I was tired and not feeling well so skipped my class.  I tried to join the Zoom Class but you need to get the password to join beforehand.  I was bummed.  I really wanted to hear the lecture and what the second lawyer had to say.  I should get a copy of the lecture via email.

I am working on what we will do while Steve and Keith are here.  They arrive in Galveston at the end of the month by cruise ship.  They will be with us from Thursday until Tuesday morning when they will fly out of IAH for home in Connecticut.  It has been several years since they have been here when we docked in Galveston after a trans Atlantic 16 day cruise. 

We did hear from our Fort Myers friends.  They were unable to get to her sister because of the water surge.  They had no water inside but lots of trees down.  They were without power and cell service.  Their motorhome was locked in outside storage, got flooded, and is “trashed.”  Their daughter and family are coming to help them clean up.  Luckier than most!  Prayers answered!

We had to skip Communion for our neighbors as they entered their second week of Covid.  He is 90 and slipping.  She is late 70s and does fine.  Their son came from NC to visit and I am sure to assess the situation.

We went to Maggiano’s with Tommy and Susan for a late lunch for her and my birthday on Monday.  Then later on we went to Minute Maid park to see the Astros LOSE!  We did get Dusty Baker AL championship rings.  Wish I had grandsons who would like them.  One real one was given away.

Just Hanging Around

Friday was my first Doc Talk associated with Memorial Hermann Hospital and Lone Star College.  The subject was diabetes.  I don’t have it but knowing what to look for and how to minimize your risk of getting it is good to know.  Nancy, Sally and I all enjoyed it.  You sure collect a lot of pens, notebooks, clips, snacks, etc. along the way!  

Saturday we were back on duty of bringing Communion to our neighbors after attending Mass.  We went to BJs for dinner where I indulged in a margarita flight.  Four small glasses of different flavors.  White peach was very good, the traditional was ok.  I didn’t care for the other two and Ted drank them, two small glasses would have been fine for me.  For all the restaurants in our township, we tend to go to the same ones all the time.  

This week has been rather slow.  Ted has had two doctor appts preparing for his yearly endoscopy to watch for his Barrett’s.  So far, so good.  Keeping my fingers crossed.  He had to get surgery clearance from our cardiologist who said she was envious of his numbers!  And one antacid and one eye drop a day for meds. 

I attended my second class in Estate Planning, Legacy and Probate.  I have learned some things and had some questions answered.  Next week we work on our Hurricane or When I Am Gone books  Things you should be able to grab when leaving for a hurricane or what needs to be all in one place for your executor.  I am really enjoying this series.  It is a good feeling to get this important stuff done and done correctly.  

I spent Friday going through my “mailbox” where I toss things that I need to tend to at some point in time.  I save these “jobs” for cleaning day so I have a place to go to stay out of the way.  I ordered my mahjong card since my group is playing in the valley.  Sent a donation to Boys Town for Christmas (already!), paid my lawn service through the end of the year, balanced my checking account and continue working on my Hurricane Book.  And of course the Medicare enrollment in October is causing lots of mail.  I saved only the changes booklet for our prescription D plans.  I will compare them (we have different companies) on Medicare.gov against the others to determine if we want to change or just continue on. They move your drugs from one tier to another and people take different drugs throughout the year.  It is wise to check if you take drugs beyond generics.  

My Astros played awful in Baltimore.  I had to quit watching.  I am a sunshine soldier kind of fan.  We are going to Minute Maid park next week for our birthdays.  I hope they play well and win!   

Our neighbors have Covid so we did not take communion to them.  We went to our neighborhood pizza place and sat outside because the restaurant is so cold, as was church!  It took forever and in the mean time there was a T bone accident at the intersection!  Traffic was backed up even when we finished our slow coming pizza.  It was finally rerouted and we were able to go right to go left and made our way home.

Our next door neighbor took off to south Texas to attend to her father through medical tests. We have been tending to mail, packages and trash cans in her absence.  She is coming home today and making plans to bring him to MD Anderson for treatment.

My cancer prayer list stands at a half dozen or so including myself.  Ted left for his prayer meeting this morning so I gave him my list to share with his group.

Books  

Officially NEGATIVE!

No dreaded pink line to the right!  I have felt fine since 10 days ago but have stayed put except for my dr appts and I wore a mask.  It was so nice to have lunch with my neighbors after the first successful negative test.  This was my second.  Ted has still not been infected.

I would have cancelled Canasta here on Monday if I wasn’t negative but it will be several days since negative, filters were changed, house cleaned and I bought all individually wrapped treats so no diving into a bowl by many.  I will put hand sanitizer on each table.  I hope it is enough.  

The cleaning crew came Friday, Ted went to the Houston Chronicle and I kept out of people’s way!  We went to the grocery when Ted came in and the ladies left.  So nice to have the house cleaned, laundry done, yard done (they also come on Friday) and groceries in!

I got my table pads, baskets and Lenox out for all my individually wrapped snacks.  I was going to be ready for Monday!  We went to church at 5:00, took Communion to Dick and Jeanette and then out to get a bite to eat.  Sunday was football! I like MLB much better than NFL but I pick my battles wisely.  We watched Britbox most of Sunday evening.

Canasta went great on Monday.  No Nervous Nelly’s and they all said buying individually wrapped snacks was not necessary.  I won my $1 back because I came in last!  We play partners and switch after each game.  I never left my seat because my partner and I never won.  We switch partners so as everyone jockeyed for their new seat and partner, there I sat!  We had a grilled cheese for dinner and watched the Astros play Detroit.  It was one of those games we can’t lose but I am way more partial to Houston than Detroit.  

Back to playing cards at a restaurant on Tuesday.  I was winning until the very end when immediate knocks caught me with nothing in my hand.  So that $1 did not come home.  I picked up Ted and we went to the cardiologist.  My ultrasound has shown no changes since last year.  We discussed my LDL and how the cancer pill seems to be raising it when comparing April labs to September labs.  So she raised my mg. to 20 from 10.  I took 20 mg until 4 years ago when I had lost my weight.  But she said she would rather err on the side of caution.  She was delighted we had been out in the motorhome most of the summer and very pleased we navigated Disney in the heat plus all the walking.  Next appt is 9/2023!  

A Senior Expo was held here in our township.  I love the one in McAllen TX in January.  But that one is about 6-8 times larger with an array of vendors.  This one was 95% Medicare, home health, senior housing, funerals, etc.  way too much of the same things.  I looked forward to H‑E‑B coupon books, info on senior activities at the community center, volunteer opportunities at our pavilion, travel opportunities, Newcomers, etc.  The people that come to these have probably had their medical insurance in place a decade ago or more.  They want to DO something, not wring their hands about medical insurance only.  End of complaint.  Nancy, Judie and I had lunch then split up to head home.  

Today was my first Community College classes.  First up was Estate Planning.  We thought we had things in order but I had questions to insure we had actually legally done what we thought we had.  The lawyer looked over our trust and said we need a successor trustee named.  They are mentioned but one has not been identified!  Also, ours is so old the children had guardians named and we had beneficiaries beyond just our three girls.  I think we need to make an appointment to get things sorted out. 

My second class was frustrating.  It was to teach us all about using the college computer system!  It was worse than the Disney app!  The teacher was not well versed on using Zoom for those attending on line.  She talked in circles, covering some things more than once, then giving short shrift to things like how to set up your .edu e-mail!  I finally got it set up once I came home.  Took me some time though because her directions were not real clear.  AND … half way through we had a fire drill!

Here is my sister Karen in Assisted Memory Care being serenaded by Elvis.  She knew who he was!

At Last!

This staying in for whatever number of days the CDC is recommending right now, is a pain.  Some are counted from exposure, others from symptoms, others from first positive test.  I was exposed I think on 8/23, I developed symptoms (tiredness first, then sore throat) on 8/28, tested positive 8/29.  I took meds I have from a Dr when this first started.  By 8/31 my symptoms were gone.  However, I stayed in until we took a ride on 9/4 and I went to the dr on 9/6.  My last test had such a faint line that I had to hold it this way and that to see anything so I have proclaimed myself negative.  

In all of this, Ted was traveling in the car with me for two solid days, stayed in motels and ate at restaurants with me, slept in bed with me, has done our shopping, gone shooting and still has not caught it.    I think the CDC should take a look at his blood or something.  

So my life begins again!  There was a mixup at the cardiologist about my scheduled echo so I have to go again today to have it done.  Tomorrow is our neighborhood birthday lunch and Friday the house will be cleaned by the crew for the first time since the end of May.  Of course it has had no one staying, just Nancy in and out, so it isn’t as bad as it sounds.  We changed the air filters too.  I don’t know what else to do but cross my fingers!  

Here is Bidkar, Ally and CeCe on Dumbo.  Despite our shortened stay, the kids put a lot of hours and miles into the parks.  

These are Tim and Cindy’s 8 grandchildren, my sister Karen’s great grandchildren (she has about 8 more) who live at Elk Lake in Kentucky now that they have retired.  The kids have such great weekends and holidays with their grandma and grandpa each summer.  We always enjoy our time with this crew.

Never Ending Covid

I think the game has ended with a score of 10-3.  The only people that did not get Covid were Ted, Kelly and Sam.  We had the whole spectrum of shots, boosters, and blanks so there was no rhyme or reason why some didn’t get it, got it mildly, got it severely.  

I was extremely tired on Saturday.  Started feeling bad plus tired on Sunday, took a test on Monday because I had a rip roaring sore throat.  By Tuesday I thought my throat was going to close up.  I got my ivermectin tablets out and over the next 36 hours I took six 6mg tablets and twelve 500 mg amoxicillin pills.  The throat relief occurred within an hour.  It was amazing.  I have had no symptoms since Wednesday but am still testing positive.  I am told the positive designation could last for some weeks!  Not sure about my being contagious.  I will need to research that subject.  

Pat and Bidkar were able to fly home Wednesday morning.  CeCe was up and running by mid week.  Bill, Kara and Kristin were still fighting the good fight.  Morgan started her first day of college.  Kelly, Sam and Ted haven’t missed a beat.

It was a very boring week.  I kept things picked up, dishes done, bed made, bills paid and napped some and watched TV.  I have taken several tests and they remain positive though the Saturday one was very, very faint!  I am not going to church, too close of quarters and unfair to those in close proximity.  I have a doctor appt on Tuesday and I will wear my mask but hope if they ask I can truthfully say I have tested negative.

Pat, Cassie and Kristin all have tested negative.  Kara and Bill, the most vaccinated of the whole group, seem to have it worse.  We should be a comparison study for the CDC.  Kelly and Sam had it earlier in the year and that leaves Ted as Last Man Standing.  How contagious can I be since he has been in the apt. at Disney, motel rooms and home with me the last couple weeks.  

Just going to share some Life Goes On photos since I have nothing to write about. 

Ted and I sponsored a golf hole at a Knights of Columbus tournament run by nephew Brian.  It was in honor of George Wingert, a friend’s husband, big in K of C in Michigan, who passed away recently.  

Ted enjoying his Mickey ice cream!

Great great nephew Graham who caught a 13.5# catfish at Elk Lake using his great grandpa’s rod.  GGPa went to heaven last Halloween.  

CeCe in her Minnie dress at Chef’s Mickey in the Contemporary Hotel.

Fireworks from the area outside the Grand Floridian around the lake with Cinderella’s Castle in the background.  

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We are 8 for 13!

Well I am a pink stripe today!  Ted went to Walmart to buy more tests and found out Medicare paid for 8 tests!  I used one this morning and the dreaded pink line appeared.  I have a bit of a sore throat and some sinus drainage and still tired but that’s about it. Poor Kristin didn’t have enough energy to walk across her apartment!

I put all our things away from the trip, cleaned up after Ted cooked dinner last night and am doing 3 loads of laundry.  I have had two vaccines and one Booster for whatever that’s worth. I still got it!  

I canceled our card group next Tuesday at the country club. I want to give myself time to get a few negative tests before being around people.  

Not much should happen over the next week or two.  To be safe I didn’t even go to Mass Sunday morning.  Stay tuned. I will be back to you shortly. 

We Are Home

We arrived home around 4 pm on Saturday, 5 days before we were scheduled to.  Dropping the visit with Kristin and Tom & Eileen left us with nothing else to do.  We had talked about stopping at the beach but we were driving right past the Alabama Gulf Coast we had just left 2 weeks before.  Having been gone since May 30 except for our two weeks in between switching from motorhome to car/resort, it sounded good!  I was very tired and once we got home I slept a few hours and then all night too!  I only drove from Lafayette to the TX line but I was bushed.  

I took a Covid test this morning and so far it says I am ok.  Poor CeCe can hardly talk with her sore throat, cough and fever.  So the score stands at 7 out of 13 but that may change.  We have been asked to join family members on a cruise out of Galveston in March.  I am thinking long and hard before committing!  

Here are a few photos of happy times and the exhaustion of Disney parks.  

I will take another test tomorrow just to be confident I am ok.

And We Thought It Could Not Get Worse

 We are fine as of Saturday, so far.  We did more running around on Friday, checking out, taking the cat to the vet, leaving him there for Kristin’s friend to pick up and headed to the FL Turnpike.  Our SunPass got a workout!  We drove to Crestview, FL where we stopped on our first night out and spent the night there again.  

Kelly, Cassie, Ally and CeCe made it to Detroit and was met by that angel I prayed for.  He came in the form of the car park bus driver who loaded all their luggage plus stroller and car seat, unloaded it all and loaded it into Kelly’s car.  They made it home only to determine CeCe was now sick!  Coughing and a slight temperature.  Pat and Bidkar are still in FL, are feeling better, and will fly home on a 6 am flight they were able to secure with no penalty.

Kristin is feeling better but extremely tired.  The cat seems to be ok after his treatment at the vet and Jen was happy to bring him home.  

Kara and family had their SW flights cancelled after being at loose ends all day since they could not get late check out of either of her Grand Floridian rooms.  Then those flights were cancelled and they were to fly out today to Baltimore on to Detroit.  It was a 6 am flight so she rented a room at the airport hotel for. $300+!  As soon as they got settled the Baltimore portion of the next day’s flight was “delayed.”  She threw in the towel, booked 4 one way seats to the tune of $2000+ on Delta, non stop.  They arrived this morning about 8:30.  

As soon as all are well the saga of our Family Disney Vacation will end!  

Downhill From Here

Thursday morning started with a 2:39 am Text:  Ugh!  I have Covid.  Kristin had returned home to feed her cats and rest because she didn’t feel good.  She finally took a test.  So she needed her things brought from Kelly’s condo south of Disney, to Lake Mary, far north of Disney, about an hour each way.  I told her we would, thus started our day later on.  We found the condo and two more sick folks getting ready to go to Urgent Care.  They had Kristin’s things all packed up.  Wearing our masks and using hand sanitizer, we loaded them in the car.  They mentioned Cassie’s wheelchair was still in Kristin’s car and could we bring that back because the service was picking it up the next day!  Sure!  So we headed back down to the condo to deliver the chair.  Kristin would not let us bring the things in beyond the doorway.                           

Patrick and Bidkar both tested positive and the rest tested negative with tests from Urgent Care. The last we heard was Kelly, Cassie, Ally and CeCe were going home Friday as planned.  Bidkar and Patrick negotiated an extended stay to go home on Wednesday.  How the girls with the baby, luggage, stroller and car seat are going to manage is beyond me, especially when they land in Detroit.  That may be another horror story for tomorrow!  With airport security, there isn’t much personal help available to offer.

In the meantime, Morgan tested positive for Covid.  Sam needs to check into his dorm on Saturday,  Bill is still recovering from shoulder surgery and Kara said she just didn’t know what to do.  They have to vacate the Grand Floridian, they cannot get a rental car to drive home. They talked of sending Sam on ahead and his father can pick him up, and maybe Bill going with him.  Kara can go to the condo with Pat and Bidkar, sanitize the bedroom and bath, and stay until Morgan can travel.  Stay tuned!

We went to the Grand Floridian in our bathing suits and spent the afternoon at the pool with Kara, Bill and Sam.  Morgan was in her room and waved to us from the porch when we left.  Then we heard from Kristin, can we take the cat to the vet today, he is throwing up all over the place!  Why not?  So the vet appointment is at noon and that allows us to check out of here, drive there, go to the vet and back to Kristin’s and not have anywhere to go for any length of time!?!  She said she feels better but is terribly tired.  I asked if she wanted us to stay in town at a motel to be near and she said no.  There really isn’t anything we can do.  

We had planned a stop in Palm Coast at best friends Tom and Eileen.  He has had a diagnosis recently and I helped them navigate an appointment this Monday at MD Anderson in Jacksonville.  He certainly doesn’t need us to expose him so once the cat gets back home, we are hitting the FL Turnpike and heading for home.  

And you wonder why I live in Texas?

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Finally, Magic Kingdom

We were up really early on Tuesday morning, the big day to take CeCe to the Magic Kingdom.  She had been there on Sunday with her parents, grandparents and Aunt Kristin.  She loved the parades!  

We started with Winnie the Pooh which got a ho hum response, then on to Under the Sea.  Now that she got into, clapping and dancing in her seat.  It was very musical and colorful and she was very familiar with Ariel and the music.

We also did It’s A Small World, Country Bear Jamboree, met with Cinderella, Philharmonic Magic, the carousel and watched part of a parade.  By then it was lunch time and someone was getting tired and hungry.  In fact, we all were.  We, Pat and Kelly were with us, ate lunch at the Plaza Restaurant and then headed for home.  

Kelly and Pat had Park Hopper passes and were supposed to proceed to Hollywood Studios.  But Pat was not feeling good so she went on alone on Disney Transportation and met Cassie and Kristin.  Sam and Morgan had left them to return home. The four of us went back to our condo where Pat slept on the single bed that comes down from under the TV, Ted chose the couch and I put CeCe down in the king bed so I could close the door.  She slept 3.5 hours.  When she awakened we used our Disney app to order food at the restaurant here on our grounds.  Then Ted took CeCe to our pool and splash pad.  She had a ball!  

Later, Ted and I went to the Grand Floridian to see the special fireworks.   We joined Kara and Bill and had a margarita at the tables around the lake with the castle in the background.  We were unable to return to the Magic Kingdom because Mickey’s Halloween Party was 6-11 and you needed another ticket!  

Wednesday everyone slept in but Kara, Bill and Sam.  They headed to Magic Kingdom minus Morgan who was still whipped from a full day at Hollywood Studios.  

We eventually went to Disney Springs shopping district.  I found another gift for Nancy.  We needed to stop at Walgreen’s before coming home.  After lunch we put on our suits and headed to the pool.  We met a delightful British couple and talked to them for a long time.  

I didn’t want dinner so Ted  went to McDonald’s (I think) and brought ice cream back for us. We have one more day here and Morgan wants to take us to the Art of Animation Resort to see all the art throughout.  Because we are all resort guests we can get on property.  They are very strict about not having just anyone roaming around their resorts.  

We have our Mickey Bands to do most everything.  CeCe has an old one, not attached to any account.  She insists on putting hers up on the Mickey too to enter the park!